Fire starter

Abstract

A fire starter includes a casing made from a first material a first material having a first time associated therewith that defines a length of time that the casing burns after being ignited. A second material disposed in the casing has a second time associated therewith that defines a length of time that the second material burns after being ignited. An igniter, disposed in the casing and adjacent to the second material, generates a first thermal event to ignite the second material wherein the second material combusts to define a second thermal event that ignites the first material. An actuator is coupled to the igniter and is positioned outside of the casing for activating the igniter to generate the first thermal event.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A fire starter, comprising:
 a casing defining an interior chamber and having a first side portion and a second side portion opposite the first side portion, the casing being made from a first burnable material; 
 a second burnable material disposed in the interior chamber of the casing; 
 an igniter disposed in the interior chamber of the casing and configured to generate a first thermal event to ignite the second burnable material, the second burnable material combusts during the first thermal event to define a second thermal event to ignite the first burnable material; 
 an actuator coupled to the igniter and having at least a first portion extended through the first side portion of the casing such that a second portion of the actuator is positioned outside of the interior chamber of the casing, the actuator configured to activate the igniter to generate the first thermal event; and 
 an anchor line coupled to at least one of the casing or the igniter, a first portion of the anchor line being extended through the second side portion of the casing such that a second portion of the anchor line is disposed outside of the casing. 
 
     
     
       2. The fire starter of  claim 1 , wherein the anchor line defines a loop sized and configured to be placed around a structure exterior to the casing to anchor the apparatus when the actuator is actuated. 
     
     
       3. The fire starter of  claim 1 , wherein the anchor line is flexible, the anchor line limits movement of the igniter in a first direction when the first portion of the actuator is moved in the first direction. 
     
     
       4. The fire starter of  claim 1 , wherein the igniter includes:
 a spark generator; and 
 a fuse coupled to the spark generator and in contact with the second burnable material. 
 
     
     
       5. The fire starter of  claim 1 , wherein the actuator includes a structure that is pulled. 
     
     
       6. The fire starter of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 paper wrapped about a combination of the casing, the second burnable material, and the igniter, 
 the second portion of the actuator being positioned outside of the paper, 
 the second portion of the anchor line being positioned outside of the paper. 
 
     
     
       7. The fire starter of  claim 1 , wherein the casing defines vent holes that provide a fluid communication path between exterior regions of the casing and the interior chamber. 
     
     
       8. The fire starter of  claim 1 , wherein:
 a third side portion of the casing defines a first vent hole, the third side portion of the casing being different from the first side portion of the casing and the second side portion of the casing, 
 a fourth side portion of the casing defines a second vent hole, the second vent hole different from the first vent hole, the fourth side portion of the casing being different from the first side portion of the casing, the second side portion of the casing, and the third side portion of the casing, 
 the first vent hole and the second vent hole provide fluid communication paths between exterior regions of the casing and the interior chamber. 
 
     
     
       9. The fire starter of  claim 1 , wherein the first burnable material includes a mixture of paraffin wax and pieces of a cellulose material. 
     
     
       10. The fire starter of  claim 1 , wherein the second burnable material includes an oxidizer. 
     
     
       11. An apparatus, comprising:
 a casing defining an interior chamber and being made from a first material that combusts when exposed to a flame; 
 a spark generator disposed in the interior chamber of the casing to generate a spark when activated; 
 a fuse disposed in the interior chamber of the casing, the fuse coupled to the spark generator and extending therefrom, the fuse combusting to define a burning fuse for a time when exposed to the spark; 
 a second material disposed in the interior chamber of the casing and in contact with the fuse, the second material combusting, when the second material is exposed to the burning fuse, to define the flame; 
 an actuator coupled to the spark generator and having at least a portion that is positioned outside of the casing and that is configured to be pulled in a first direction to activate the spark generator; and 
 an anchor line coupled to the spark generator, the anchor line having a portion disposed outside the casing, the anchor line configured to be coupled to a structure exterior to the apparatus such that the anchor line limits movement of the spark generator in the first direction when the portion of the actuator is pulled in the first direction to activate the spark generator. 
 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the first material includes a mixture of paraffin wax and pieces of a cellulose material. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the second material includes an oxidizer. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 paper wrapped about a combination of the casing, the spark generator, the fuse, and the second material, 
 the portion of the actuator being positioned outside of the paper with respect to a first side portion of the casing, 
 the portion of the anchor line being positioned outside of the paper with respect to a second side portion of the casing. 
 
     
     
       15. The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the casing defining vent holes that provide a fluid communication path between exterior regions of the casing and the interior chamber. 
     
     
       16. The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the anchor line includes a loop sized and configured to be placed around the structure exterior to the apparatus, and 
 the portion of the actuator and the loop are disposed at opposing ends of the casing. 
 
     
     
       17. The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the casing includes at least two casing portions. 
     
     
       18. A method, comprising:
 activating an igniter to generate a first thermal event in response to actuation of an actuator coupled to the igniter, the igniter being disposed in an interior chamber of a casing that is made from a first material, the actuator having at least a portion positioned outside of the interior chamber of the casing; 
 igniting, by the first thermal event, a second material disposed in the interior chamber of the casing to define a second thermal event; 
 burning the second material for a length of time after the igniting; and 
 burning the first material for a length of time after a start of the second thermal event, the length of time for the second material being less than the length of time for the first material. 
 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18 , wherein the portion of the actuator is configured to be moved in a first direction during actuation, the method further comprising:
 limiting movement of the igniter in the first direction. 
 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 18 , wherein the activating includes:
 generating, via a spark generator of the igniter, a spark, and 
 combusting a fuse when the fuse is exposed to the spark, the fuse being disposed in the interior chamber of the casing, the fuse being coupled to and extended from the spark generator.